My Desert Storm

 As I am writing this, Hurricane Laura is closing in on the Louisiana Gulf Coast,  and it makes me wonder, "Why." 

Why do we have storms? Is there any prophetic meaning in them? Some writers have speculated that it is God's vengeance on sin, but I am not so sure about that. I do believe that there is a correlation between the physical world and the spiritual realm. However, it's far more complex than simply attributing disasters to God's vengeance. 

We need to pay attention to these signs and learn from them.

I never knew what trusting God meant until the day I lost my eyesight during "Operation Desert Storm." No, I wasn’t in that war in Iraq. In fact, it had been over twenty years since I wore a uniform. We were thousands of miles away in Southern California, a few miles from the back gate of Camp Pendelton, the home of the 1st Marine Division which was fighting in Iraq. We were leading a renewal event at a church in Vista, CA. where many of the families were praying for their loved ones deployed to the Middle East. 

Driving through the glaring sun and afternoon heat of the San Pasqual Valley on highway 78, my friend Mylon was driving while I navigated. We were on our way to visit an elderly family who were unable to attend our meetings because of illness. I had directions on the border of a local map that now lay in my lap. Suddenly, something unexplainable happened. 

Like most sighted people, I took my vision for granted. Eyesight is important for reading, viewing a computer screen, observing nature, and people watching.  I love the changing colors of fall, the snow-covered trees in winter, and the vibrant blossoms breaking forth in spring. It is a spiritual experience as God reveals Himself through His creation. When you can't see these things, a large part of your life disappears,

One minute all was fine. The next minute, I could not see. The map in my lap disappeared into a black abyss. Looking up to the road ahead, all I could see was a halo of kaleidoscopic colors with a dark center. 

My immediate reaction was not fear or panic, but curiosity as I analyzed the situation. I shut my right eye, leaving the left open, then reversed the order. There was no difference. Whatever happened had happened to both eyes. I leaned back in my seat, closed my eyes, and told Mylon he would have to get us to our destination by himself. I remembered enough of the map to give some help. Mylon wanted to take me to the hospital immediately, but I refused.

"No, we have to see these people. There will time later to see a doctor."

We Arrived at our destination, and Mylon led me to the front door. Our host invited us in and down a cool, dark hallway. It felt good after the bright sun and dusty Santa Ana winds outside. As we passed into a well-lit bedroom, our host introduced us to his sister, laying in the bed. 

Somewhere between the front door and the bedroom, my sight had returned to normal. 

As we visited, we discovered that the man was visually impaired. He explained that he lost his sight after finishing a round of golf when he bent over to retrieve his ball. Instantly, he lost his sight. He described his blindness as seeing colors and figures around the periphery, but the center of his vision was like a black hole. It was identical to my recent experience. He seemed content with his condition and admitted that it had given him opportunities to develop relationships in the church that would not have happened if his sight was normal. 

We felt that my experience might have been a sign that we were to pray for the man's eyesight to return. We did, but had no sense that God was healing him. We also prayed for God to heal his sister, which had an immediate effect. As far as we know, the man is still without sight, but his sister was up and walking the next day for the first time in several months.

I am not sure what happened that day, but three possibilities come immediately to mind.  

1.  God allowed me to experience the man’s condition so I would be more understanding and know how to pray for him; 

2. I experienced the same condition, and God healed me instantaneously.  

3. The Lord sent a storm into my life to get my attention.

Theologically, it makes a difference which of these is true, but to me it doesn't really matter.

I learned a very valuable lesson.

Rita and I had been following Christ for several years, we were ministering beyond the local church, leading conferences and training events, and I was preparing for full-time ministry.  

Like many, I trusted God, but fear held me back from freely following the Lord. I was playing it safe. If I kept one foot planted firmly on the ground over which I had control, I could stretch the other foot out over the rough waters of uncertainty.  Like Peter hearing the Lord's voice and trying to walk on water, I wanted to take the big step, but fear prevented it.

Then on that day I lost my sight, I came face to face with the realization of my vulnerability; How could I trust myself to be in control if I could not protect myself from losing something valuable, like my eyesight? Everything I had could be taken from me in a second. 

We live in a dangerous world, pandemics, wars, violence, and severe weather. We are not in control, but we cannot just hide from trouble, we have to live life. So let's trust in God, not just for our eternal destiny, but for our life here and now.

I had to trust God for everything. That day, I decided to no longer play it safe. I would follow the Lord wherever He led. 

That very day, the war in the Persian Gulf ended, and California's longest drought in recorded history ended. 

Within a month, we made decisions that forever changed our life.

When God calls, it is time to take on tasks that will stretch you beyond your comfort zone, so that you become dependent upon Him. Take such action that if He doesn't show up, you will fail dismally.

It is well worth the trip. 

So, you want to make disciples - Count the cost!

The Great Commission

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. [Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)]

Effectively fulfilling the Great Commission is no simple task as you have probably discovered if you have been in ministry for any length of time. Most of us - with good intentions - have been doing it wrong. The problem is in understanding what we are called to do.

Please forgive my suggested books which address the area of discipleship. They do provide help for your discipleship program if you are interested.

Go!

Step one of the Great Commission is, "To go." When we go out of the church and share God's love, God shows up and does wonderful things. St. Patrick was at home in England when a band of Irish marauders kidnapped him, took him to Ireland, and sold him into slavery. Six years later he escaped and fled on a boat back to England.  A few years later, young Patrick had a vision calling him back to Ireland. Talk about getting out of his comfort zone. 

Obeying God, he went back to the nation that had enslaved him. But this time he took the message of God's love. He baptized thousands of people including some wealthy women and the sons of kings. Every day he faced imprisonment and death.

"To go," means to leave your comfort zone, to get out of the church and interact with people who are not like you. It is a mission for the Lord. Leaving our comfort zone can be very scary, but that's where we will see God in action. 

Sharing the love of God with a stranger is not easy for most people. It is especially difficult when people are radically different from us. But Jesus calls us to GO. And as we go He can work through us. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, "A small rudder can turn a big boat as long as the boat is moving. But when it is sitting still the rudder has no effect."

In the Gospel of John, Jesus was on His way from Jerusalem to Galilee. Tired and needing rest, He stopped at Jacob's well while His disciples went into Schecham to fetch food and drink. You know the story. A Samaritan woman comes along, Jesus asks her for a drink, and they dialogue for a while. Jesus knows her heart and shares the "Good News" with her in an interesting way. She believes and GOES into town to tell her story to everyone there. She left her comfort zone. The townspeople came out to meet this Jesus, and they also believe.

Make "Disciples"

Make disciples is a faulty translation of this passage. A better translation would be to "disciple all nations." So we do not make disciples, we disciple people. The word that is translated "disciple" is the Greek word "Mathetes." In ancient Greece, it was an individual that attached himself to master craftsman, teacher, or leader in order to be mentored by them. In our present world we might use the term "apprentice," the way in which electricians, plumbers, etc are accredited. 

Since becoming a disciple is a purely voluntary act it cannot be forced upon someone or made it a requirement. Postmoderns rebel at coercion. This could be the cause of the church losing its young people as soon as they get outside the influence of the church and home.

The implications of voluntary discipleship are far-reaching. First discipleship, is not programmatic, it is relational. The discipler, must have something significant that the potential disciple wants to become. 

The relationship between the discipler and disciple must be close. It must be so important that the disciple gives up other desires and reaches out to enter into the relationship.  On the other side, the discipler must be perceived as worthy of the relationship. We great resource for becoming the leader others want to follow

Second, if discipleship is voluntary, the discipler must present discipleship as important to the disciple. In other words, he must provide a solid justification and present the benefits of discipleship. 

Lastly, since discipleship is relational, it should be obvious that it is an interpersonal activity between the discipler and the disciple. The discipler has a responsibility to the relationship. If he is not willing to spend the time necessary to maintain the relationship, he will not be an effective discipler. 

Baptize

Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

The Christian church has a variety of understandings and practices of baptism, but Baptism is the entry into the body of Christ. In Baptism you are baptized into the community of Jesus Christ. The church proclaims that you are loved and wanted and a child of God in baptism.

Water is a symbol of purification. It is used to mark the beginning of a new life. In water baptism we are transformed from death to life, rising as a new person, born anew. Satan no longer has a hold on us. The early church included an exorcism in their baptismal rite which is continued in Orthodox Christian churches today. 

Teach

When teaching a disciple, the discipler has the responsibility to help the disciple learn. As teachers we all have our own style of teaching. However, discipling is more relational than the transfer of knowledge. Therefore it is incumbent upon the discipler to understand that people do not all learn the same way. The discipler must make allowances for the disciples learning style.

Jesus' methods of Discipling.

The first thing we notice about Jesus' methods of discipling is that He spent time

with the twelve. Each time He demonstrated something it became a teaching moment. He would use their questions about what just happened to teach a principle.

1. Demonstrate: With the twelve standing by, Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, calmed the storms, raised the dead. Each miracle demonstrated His mission; to destroy the works of the enemy - Satan.
2. Explain: After demonstrating His power, Jesus explained to His disciples why He was able to accomplish the task while they were not
3. Instruct: Then He instructed them on how to go forth and minister to the needs around the country.
4. Send: He sent them out two by two to heal the sick. He gave them an opportunity to minister without Him standing over their shoulders.
5. Critique: When they returned He gave them a critique of how they did and cautioned them as to what was important.

Your Cost

If you choose to take on this vital role, you must count the cost in your time, your emotions, and your freedom. But there is nothing as rewarding as seeing your efforts come to fruition as new people step into leadership and expand the Kingdom of God.

1. You can only disciple a few people at a time.
2. You must invest time and resources into each one.
3. Some will drop out and cause you much pain.
4. Do you have the time?
5. Do you have the Patience?
6. If so, Go!